Sieg oder Tod
by Jetstream Girge
Summary: An alternate telling of the ElGang's encounter with the Fallen Guardian, Helputt. What if the history of Hamel is not all sunshine, rainbows and unicorns? What if there is a greater and darker secret to its history. In a war, plagued by despair, what can one do? Submit to the grim future, or take it from the maw of destiny? Chung gets a close look at what it means to be a Guardian.


**Hello everyone! So I have gotten my Fire Emblem fic up and running and was going to start on the Boundaries update. But then, I came across an AMAZING Garrosh Hellscream Tribute on Youtube. When I saw it, I had to incorporate it into a story somehow. I initially thought about using Raven as the subject for this, but he seems to have a more feral rage then what is portrayed by Garrosh. So I thought about it, and remembered someone named Helputt. We all know who this is, so I will not explain further. If you wish to see my inspiration for this one-shot, go to Youtube and type Garrosh Hellscream Tribute in the search bar, it should be the first result on the search. Also, I recommend that you listen to Zack Hemsey - "The Way (Instrumental) at the *. That is all I really have to say on this for now. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Elsword or any of its content. Also, note that I am using quotes, almost ad verbatim, from sound files of Garrosh Hellscream, who is owned by Blizzard and not me. Consider this my citation.**

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><p>"Chung, are you feeling alright?" The light voice of his elf companion roused the young Guardian from his stupor. "You seem even more distant than you were after that last Trial." Her green eyes gazed into his cerulean orbs, as if she were trying to read his mind as though they were windows.<p>

"Ah… Yes, Miss Rena. I am fine… for the most part." He gave her the best smile he could muster as he tried to shake her attention, but it seemed to only increase her concern. She was now biting the bottom of her lip, trying to figure out a way to make the Iron Paladin come clean with his troubles. She was always like this; a mother to all the younger members, except to Raven, the only other real adult amongst the group.

Chung now brought up his hands in a small gesture of surrender. "Really, Miss Rena, I am fine. I just need to speak with Priestess Sasha for a moment. Please do not worry yourself on my account." The Grand Archer opened her mouth to say something, likely to the effect of 'you can tell me anything,' when a hand grasped her shoulder.

"It's okay, Rena. We can handle the demons in this junction just fine without him. Me and Elsword can focus on defense while he gets things cleared up." Raven's gruff, yet gentle, voice finally drew the archer's attention away from the young Seiker. He smiled at her confused expression as he patted her shoulder once more and walked off, calling out to the Lord Knight about a change in formation.

Though she was not satisfied with how it was being handled, Rena only let out an exasperated sigh before stealing one last worried glance at the boy before following the Blade Master. Finally free of her emerald gaze, the Guardian let out a sigh of relief as he turned to the Water Priestess. "My Lady, can I ask for a moment of your time?" The woman's sky blue eyes widened in response to being called out, but a gentle smile crossed her lips when she saw who it was.

"Yes, Sir Seiker? What is it? The Trials are not becoming too difficult I hope." Her voice too was filled concern, but unlike Rena, it was not concern for just his wellbeing.

"No, the Trials are nothing we cannot handle. I do not expect us to fail at those any time soon. And could you please call me Chung? It is a little weird when…" He started trailing off at the end. Hearing that her fears were only in her own heart, the Water Priestess exhaled lightly.

"That is good to hear, Sir Chung. I apologize for my manner of addressing you. Is there something I can help you with?" She bowed respectfully to the Iron Paladin, causing him to scratch the back of his head and chuckle nervously.

"Oh, do not worry too much about the name. Anyways…" His eyes suddenly found the floor very interesting. "You have been here to the Temple of Trials before, right? And you know of what all the secrets this place holds." He spoke to the floor, but Sasha knew he was addressing her. Her bright eyes narrowed at his question, but it was not out of malice, but out of concern.

"… Yes. I frequently prayed here and was even taught in these very halls. I was shown everything there is to know about the Temple of Trials. What is it that you wish to know, Sir Chung?" She inquired to the young Guardian who finally lifted his head to look at the Priestess in the eyes.

"Who are The Gladiators? I saw inscriptions all over the temple with these images that looked a lot like The Guardians, but the words: The Gladiators, were always used to describe them. And in every depiction of them, they were… fighting… people. Human beings. There were even a few where they were fighting what looked like the Red Knights and even…" He could not continue. The images he saw in the Temple were far too horrific for him to recall. He remembered seeing carvings of what looked like Guardians in full Freiturnier stomping over the skulls of defeated people, like they were going to war.

"Sir Chung… So you saw that? I am deeply sorry for what you have seen." Sasha closed her eyes in despair when she saw how the boy was shaken. "Let me explain the meaning behind those images." She motioned for the young Seiker to take a seat as she kneeled on the stone floor. Once Chung was seated atop his Destroyer, the Water Priestess took a moment to gather her breath before opening her eyes to meet the Guardian's.

"When the organization was first conceived, they were referred to as The Gladiators; people blessed with power to fight. They did not understand much back then, so when the Guardian Stone was discovered, it was used as a weapon. The only remnant of that group is the armor you wear now; Freiturnier. In the old tongue, this meant 'free tournament.' This group of warriors fought anything that presented a threat to them, even each other. The purification process was not perfected back then, so the power of the Guardian Stones drove The Gladiators mad with power." She paused for moment to once again gather her thoughts, but she continued her tale soon enough. "The Gladiators were becoming a threat to not only their home, but the neighboring continent of Lurensia. This caused the Velder Imperial Guard to set up a blockade just outside Hamel waters. They did not want The Gladiators to make landfall on their continent and lay waste to it. This only served to anger The Gladiators even more, and they continued to fight amongst one another for the honor of leading the Hamel fleet into battle against the Velder Imperial Guard. Eventually, The Gladiators were subjected to a new purification process. This brought their bloodlust under control and the organization was disbanded and reformed as The Guardians. However, to ensure that their history of bloodshed was not forgotten, The Guardians kept the name of their equipment; Freiturnier and Berserk. When you clad yourself fully in Freiturnier, Sir Chung, you are tapping into the ancient rage of the Guardian Stone. That is why it only lasts a short time. Before, that was the only mode of function of the Freiturnier."

"And that was what the new purification process was meant to alter. It was meant to act as a control mechanism for Berserk." Chung pointed out. Despite the storm of information swirling around him, he was able to understand that much. The Priestess nodded at his understanding.

"Precisely, Sir Chung. It was meant to control Berserk and The Gladiators fell into the shadows of history. But now, Hamel encountered a new threat: the flood. As you know, Hamel is sinking, or rather the sea is rising. You have been to the old city beneath the waters. Hamel has a history of constantly building on top of what already exists. The structures you see above the waterline are built atop the ones that sea claimed. Eventually, it is feared that ocean will claim the city and the people of Hamel will lose their home. The ruling class of Hamel turned to the Velder Kingdom for aid, requesting that a region of their land to be granted to Hamel so that we may build a new home for our people to go to when the sea finally claims our home. But we were refused, the Velder nobility citing that such a move would considered an invasion on their territory and threatened open war. Sander is too small due to how they are centered around a single oasis. We would not be able to carve out a living in the desert, and our people would die." Chung was stunned by this story. He had no idea things were so dire. Hamel, his home, was dying, and they had nowhere to go. If they tried to settle on the Lurensian continent, they risked open war with the Kingdom of Velder, or what was left of it now that the demons were razing it to the ground. They were not prepared to make a living out in the harsh environments of Sander. The people of Hamel were caught between a rock and a hard place.

"That is the dark history and future of Hamel and the Guardians, Sir Chung. While we never intended to deceive you, this information was never made public. If word got out about how dire things are and the bloody history of The Guardians, we fear that members of The Guardians will be executed in the streets and mass panic will ensue. You must keep it a secret, I beg of you Sir Chung." TheWater Priestess' eyes shone with desperation. She was being serious, she did not want anyone else to know of this.

"Well, that was certainly an eye-opener." The somber duo whipped their heads to the source of the voice and found Add, their newest member smirking as he sat on his dynamos, which were floating in the air. Apparently, he had been listening in on their conversation.

"Sir Add!? I did not see you there. How long have you been there?" The Priestess scrambled to her feet and dusted off imaginary dust from her robes. That was when she saw them; the rest of the Elgang. They were standing not ten meters away.

"Oh Lady El… Did you all…?" Sasha was now finding it difficult to speak. Not only did they all hear of such sensitive information, but Elesis Sieghart of the Red Knights even heard it. There was no way there would be no consequences for-

"What are you so worried about?" The Grand Master, out of all people, spoke up and the Priestess' eyes shifted focus to her. "Look, what's done is done. Now that I am in charge of the Red Knights, there is no way I can ignore the plight of entire people. If you wish to settle on Lurensian soil, you have my heartfelt promise that the Red Knights will not allow the people of Hamel to come to harm. If our nobility don't like it, they can shove their fluffy wigs up their asses, cause I am not going to let an entire human population die because they have their head up said asses."

Her brother brought a gloved hand to his face at this declaration. "Sis, if you want to sound cool, could you not use profanity? It makes you sound like you really don't like them in the first place." His answer came in the form of a choke hold and his sister drilling her fist into his head.

"Come on. Everyone wants to sound cool every now and then. And of course I don't like those uptight assholes. They are more worried about their fancy castles and frilly robes than their own people anyways." As she berated her sibling, a slight nod could be seen from the Blade Master, as though he were agreeing with what Elesis said.

Eve stepped forward in front of the ruckus and politely curtsied to the Priestess. "You can count on the Nasod Kingdom's full support in your relocation efforts. We do not wish to see such a prosperous nation disappear. We will lend you what support we can." As she bowed her head in respect, three pillars of light appeared and her servants, Oberon, Ophelia and Ferdinand all appeared to give their own solemn bows.

"Um… I don't know if I can be of much help, but I could request the aid of Fahrmann to provide any assistance if we can. I mean… if that is okay…" Ara lifted herself on her toes so her eyes could peek over Raven's shoulder. The Sakra Devanam, realizing that it was rude to speak from behind someone, quickly dropped down to her feet and darted out from behind the Blade Master and weaved past Rena to start bowing to Sasha, but ended up tripping over a pebble. (Where did that pebble even come from anyways?)

As though to quickly follow up on the female warrior's offer, Aisha bounded forward to the front of the group. "Well, I am no representative for any nation or anything, but you will probably need a genius magician or two to help out with rebuilding. I can get in contact with my master and see if he can gather a few acquaintances of his to help out. Myself included, of course. And I am sure Rena and Raven have no problem helping out, right?" She ran to the pair she spoke of and grasped their arms in her own, pulling them together as she grinned. She got flick in the forehead from the Blade Master as he cleared his throat.

"While I don't really like being volunteered, I don't have much love for the Velder nobility. If I can do something that will stick it to them, I will be more than happy to assist. I know of few mercenary bands in the southern Lurensian region. I think I might be able to call in a few favors." He sent a small smile in the direction of Priestess as the elven archer finished massaging the sore spot on the Elemental Master's head.

"While the elves prefer to keep out of human matters, I think this qualifies as serious enough for us to flex a little muscle. I can get a few friends of mine back home to come here and lend a hand where it is needed. Granted they would not stay here forever and will have to leave eventually, but I am sure they will be able to be a great help." The Grand Archer lips arced up into a beaming smile. Finally, it was the tiny Guardian's turn.

"As a Guardian of Hamel, it is my duty to protect the people of Hamel. I will not rest until our people are safe and I am sure the other Guardians will as well. We will defend the citizens of Hamel to our dying breath." He stood from his Destroyer, eyes burning with determination as he got down on one knee, hanging his head in a solemn vow.

The Water Priestess Sasha was at a loss for words. She looked to the Lunatic Psyker as he was the only one who had not promised anything. (Elsword would just go along with whatever his sister did, so he was not a problem) What she got was a slight shrug of the shoulders as he leaped down from his perch.

"I will just do whatever the Nasod Queen does. I still want to take a peek at those codes she's got. If running my mouth off about this and not helping goes against her, then I am not getting anywhere closer to my goal. I can probably help with the mechanics and all that jazz. And don't worry. My lips are sealed." As a small argument between the Code Empress and Add erupted, Sasha felt tears well up in her eyes. Every single person present would give their all to save her people, even though they were not their own. Sobs of joy threatened to erupt from her throat, so all she could manage was, "Thank you, great heroes. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you."

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><p>Finally, the ElGang had made their way to the center of the Temple of Trials, and what they saw was a scene of destruction. Several broken bodies laid limp on the stone floor, many bent in strange angles. Only a single figure stood amongst the dead, and it turned to face the heroes of Elrios. It was Helputt Seiker, leader of The Guardians. Though he was more well known by his title, The White Colossus, his armor was pitch black, and the aura of shadows that pulsed around him gave a nauseating feeling if you stared at him too long. In one hand, he carried a Destroyer of massive proportions. In the other, the broken body of a Red Knight was being held by its head, the normally flawless armor battered and tendrils of blood trickling down from the helmet.<p>

"So… you have finally made it…" A deep voice rang from the ebony helm as the giant of a man tossed the corpse to the side like an old toy. Elesis ground her teeth at this show of disrespect, but a firm grip from Elsword's hand kept her in place instead of charging at the corrupt Guardian. "I take it you have been enlightened by this place's Trials? The look on your faces suggests that you know what I speak of." He was speaking of the history and grim future of Hamel that Sasha told them moments ago about. This meant they could skip a long monologue, much to their relief.

*****"Father, please, you have to surrender. I don't want to hurt you if I can help it. Please, there must be a way to settle this without bloodshed." Chung stepped forward and pleaded. He did not want to fight his paternal figure; the man who taught him everything about honor and courtesy, how to fight, how to be strong.

What he got was a scoff from the towering figure. "Ha! Do you remember nothing of honor; of glory on the battlefield? You, who would parley with these outsiders, who would rather see our people die in embrace of the sea? You are weak…" Chung wanted to believe that the words that were coming from his father's mouth were the demons speaking, but a small dread in his heart brought a lump to his throat. "I joined The Gladiators only days before we were subjected to the 'purification process.' I joined because I wanted to secure a future for our people. That was just enough time for me to realize what we are…"

He stomped the ground in front of him, causing the room to shake in a minor quake, causing the ElGang to bring their hands to their weapons. "We are The Hamel Gladiators, the TRUE Guardians! We die, bloody and thrashing on the field of battle, like true Guardians should! You are a Guardian no longer, and speak for none but yourself. You betrayed our people to forge your fragile alliances, and I will take great pleasure in tearing them apart…" A massive accusing finger was thrust in the Iron Paladin's direction. He was no longer speaking to him like a father to a son, but as a bitter enemy who knew them all too well.

"I won't let MY people drown in their own homes. I will stop at nothing – NOTHING – to ensure a proud and glorious future for Hamel and anyone with the courage to stand with us!" At his declaration, the shadows of the halls began to twist and give shape to Brutal demons. Now the ElGang had their weapons at the ready and Aisha had already teleported the Water Priestess to the safety of the rafters above, out of sight of the possessed Guardian. "Doubt is for the weak! Fight your fears! Conquer your hatred; this but a test of our strength! We will pass this trial, just as we have passed others." As if to answer his declarations, the demons grunted in something of a war cry, sending chills up the spines of the heroes.

The sable Guardian now stomped the ground again, taking another shaking step towards the group. "We will survive because we must! The Gladiators will prevail! Our suffering is at an end. When this war is won, our people will see prosperity at last." He gestured to the demons supporting him as though they were his own men. "We… are The GLADIATORS! We are slaves to nothing and no one! I will stomp out any remnants of weakness within us. Now I must ask you… when death arrives, will you stand and face it or kneel in defeat?" It seemed to be more of a rhetorical question, as Chung could not get in a word edgewise as the demons roared and stomped their feet like a war drum. The intensity was building and the young Guardian felt he was seeing a wounded heart laid bare for all to see and it was tearing him apart.

But Helputt did not stop his verbal assault there. "I, Helputt – Berserker of the Seikers – will show what it means to be called The Destroyer… We will destroy the Velder Kingdom and any who stand in our way and claim what is rightfully ours. Let our song of victory begin!" He raised his Destroyer into the air and a roar of demonic howls erupted behind him, and the rhythmic stomping intensified. "If our enemies decide to push us, we will drive them into the ground!" The demons were becoming more and more agitated, now neglecting to stomp and instead pound the floor with their claws.

Finally deciding enough was enough; Elesis tore herself from her brother's grasp and snatched a broken javelin at her feet. Not even bothering to aim, she threw the pointed weapon at the colossus as hard as she could and it met its mark. However, no damage whatsoever was inflicted on the black steel, but it did have an effect of some sort. When the ineffectual weapon clanged to the floor, it was met with silence. The demons had stopped howling and stomping and Helputt finally ceased his rousing but terrible speech.

But he did not stay silent for long. "So… you wish to face off against a real Gladiator Berserker…" He growled, slowly bringing his raised Destroyer to his side and settling into a combat stance. The ElGang readied their weapons.

"So be it…" The demons now seemed to back away from the coming battle, as though they did not wish to be there when he started fighting. The group and the corrupt Guardian stood unmoving for what seemed like an eternity before the giant sprang forward, kicking up stone from his launch. The heroes leaped away and scattered, trying to stay far enough away from each other to avoid being taken out all at once.

Rena fired several arrows at the massive man to slow him down, though they little effect on his speed. He was not very fast to begin with, but he was definitely quick enough that he could catch one off guard if they were not careful. As his head turned to face the annoyance from the elf, the Grand Master, Lord Knight and Blade Master moved in. They slashed at his legs, arms and torso, trying to find a chink in his armor, but to no avail. They inflicted no substantial damage save enough to draw his attention to them. As Helputt brought his Destroyer above his head to strike a heavy blow, the attacking trio immediately backpedaled to avoid the attack. They managed to avoid taking a direct hit, but the sheer force of the blow sent ripples through the floor and disrupted their balance allowing the titan to take aim with his cannon.

Just as he pulled the trigger, the muzzle of his weapon was thrown of course by a joint effort of Oberon, Ophelia, Ferdinand, Chung and Add. The Lunatic Psyker took advantage of the brief moment to land a flurry of blows on Helputt's chest plate, but it seemed to do little more than annoy him, as he swatted away the boy with a armored back hand. It was then Ara unleashed her own storm of attacks at his back, even triggering her secret art, which manifested itself as the claws of dire tiger and sent the blow straight into his back. Once again, the self-proclaimed Berserker shrugged off the attacks as if they were mosquitos.

Helputt then noticed the temperature in the air above him suddenly increase, and brought his Destroyer over his head just as a rain of meteors came crashing down on him. Aisha had taken the opportunity granted from all the distractions from her friends to unleash one of most powerful area of effect spells. Even if they did not all hit the mark, the explosions from each should get some damage past his guard.

As the smoke settled, a dark shape moved within the smoke. And then it spoke. "Anger… hatred… fear… they are weapons of war; the tools of a Berserker. Cleverness alone will not conquer me." He laughed as he was once again assaulted from all sides. He knocked aside weapons as though they were sticks and drove away his aggressors with his imposing attacks. But he was not even breaking a sweat. He wanted to savor this meal before he delved in. And the entire time, he continued to speak as if he were not in combat at all.

"Yes… yes, I can see it now. I can see the future of this world. A world ruled by The Gladiators. MY Gladiators! Let yourselves be consumed by my rage and burn in my hatred!" He swung his Destroyer with great strength, forcing the Sakra Devanam and the Iron Paladin to evade. Then a great impact was felt on his back. For the first time, Helputt staggered, the force of said impact knicking him off balance. When he turned to look at the source of the aggression, he saw the half-nasod and elven archer, their weapons possessing a fading glow. They had just unleashed a powerful dual attack on his flank, but it did not have the effect they expected.

The evil Guardian quivered with rage and threw his weapon at the pair, forcing them to dive out of the way, lest they be crushed under its weight. "See the visions of fear, despair and doubt as I have. You will be trapped for eternity." As he muttered this curse he leaped into one of the support columns of the temple and gripped it with his massive hands. Under his crushing grip he tore the support structure from its place with a great grunt and turned to face his opponents, all with eyes wide with fear and awe at his immense strength. As he swung the massive makeshift weapon across the floor, Elesis dived into Add to pin him to ground to avoid being smashed while the rest leaped or backed away from the deadly weapon.

"The true Gladiators will come to pass. I have seen it! They have shown me! I have seen mountains of skulls and rivers of blood, and I will have my world!" With another roar of rage, he brought the massive club over his head and brought it down with a titanic swing, intending to crush Rena under it. But she was saved by the Elemental Master's quick thinking and was teleported out of the way before she became the first elf pancake. The impact from the column striking the floor caused the entire structure to shake violently and the weapon crumbled into pieces, now useless.

From the dust that was kicked up from the attack, two crimson shapes darted through and leaped in front of The Berserker, their blades glowing with powerful energy. "SPIRAL BLAST!" The Sieghart siblings unleashed a dual attack into Helputt's chest, waves of powerful sparks of flames consuming him and throwing him across the floor. He ended up on one knee next to his discarded Destoyer and remained unmoving for a bit. He was vaguely aware of the cries of enthusiasm from his enemies and he could not help but laugh. His laughter silenced their praises as they looked at him with surprise.

"You think you have won?" Opting to not give him a chance to get back on his feet, Elesis and Elsword sprang towards him, ready to perform their next combination attack. But just when they were about to perform their attacks, a pair of massive hands grabbed their faces and stopped their attacks cold. "You are blind! I will force your eyes open! Behold! My glorious destiny!" With a fearsome cackle, Helputt threw the Grand Master into the wall, where she slumped to the floor unconscious. He then took the Lord Knight and introduced his face to the floor, creating a small crater and sending him away with a brutal kick.

Now fueled by his rampage, the corrupt Guardian snatched up his Destroyer and let loose a stream of cannonballs all in front of him. The Elemental Master could teleport away in time and was only saved by her Mana Shield. The Code Empress was not so lucky; her servants attempted to protect her, but only succeeded in blocking a couple shots before they were blown out of the way and more shells found their mark, sending Eve spinning through air before coming to a grinding halt on the floor, where she remained unmoving.

"Everyone!" Rena shouted as she tried to see everyone's condition when she heard the maddening voice from beyond the destruction.

"There is no place for you in my world!" The Grand Archer was flung off her feet with a weak cry of pain as a piece of rubble connected with her body and sent her tumbling across the floor, leaving her sprawled out at the entrance, out cold. "I will destroy everything you have ever loved!" He then heard screech of despair from the mage and leaped toward the disoriented Aisha. She was unable to escape his wrath, but an unexpected shield in the form of Add came to her aid. Triggering his Nasod Armor, he tried to halt The Berserker's advance, but only succeeded in getting himself caught on the end of his Destroyer's muzzle and being pressed into the Elemental Master. Both of them were thrust into the wall, pinned by the weapon, and Helputt continued his monologue.

"The Gladiators should have taken this world long ago during their inception. But they fell into complacency in their weakness. They allowed themselves to be pushed around by the Velder Imperial Guard and Red Knights. I will succeed where they have failed and no power in this world can stop me!" As he roared in their faces, he fired a cannonball point blank into Add's chest. The result, fortunately for Add, was he and Aisha being rendered unconscious from the impact but alive thanks to combined defensive power of Aisha's Mana Shield and Add's Nasod Armor. Now finished with them, he turned to his final targets, Raven and Ara.

The Sakra Devanam called on the aid of her companion spirit Eun and sprouted nine white, ghostly fox tails and her sable hair bleaching. Raven summoned a Nasod core, which floated behind him, ready to attack and defend on command. But they lost the initiative and Helputt was already barreling towards them, his steps shaking the ground. "All will fall in the name of Seiker!"

He swung his massive weapon with great vigor, each blow coming closer and closer to hitting its mark. "For the true Guardians! Blood and thunder!" He swung again, this time connecting with Raven's shield, but easily shattered it and sent the Blade Master bouncing off the wall and coming to halt on the floor, knocked out. "Die with honor! The power flows through me." With a cry of rage, he scooped up Ara in his massive hand and held her in a vice grip. "The power to crush your world, and everything on it!" He lifted her body into the air and sent her into the floor with one final war cry.

"SIEG ODER TOD!" He threw the poor girl into the floor so hard she bounced away like a ball before coming to rest at Chung's feet.

The Iron Paladin could not believe what just happened. Every one of his friends was defeated so easily. Was this what The Gladiators were like in the past? Were they this fearsome? Noticing that Ara was not moving, he bent down to check her pulse. Thank Lady El, she was alive, just unconscious.

But how could he let his friends down like this? He was supposed to protect them, and this happened. He felt overwhelming despair and rage swirl inside him. But he knew he could not give in to these emotions. He had faith that the Water Pristess would bail them out somehow, he just needed to survive and give her time.

Sure enough, Sasha leaped down from the rafters and called out to him. "Sir Chung, I can get them back up and fighting again! You must hold Helputt off! Please! We cannot lose any of you here!" Her eyes were on the verge of tears and caught the attention of The Berserker, who immediately took aim at her defenseless form.

With a cry of fury, Chung dashed in front of the shot and brought is Destroyer to bear against the shell. The force of the explosion pushed him back, but he did not fall. He could not fall.

"Father… I am not a Gladiator. I am a Guardian. And as a Guardian…" He tapped into his Guardian Stone and triggered his own berserk mode, his wolf-like helm covering his head. "I will defend what I think is right! Even if you stand against me, my iron will no longer falter! Thank you for this final lesson, Father!" With a roar of valor, Chung charged forward and engaged his father in a duel that shook the Temple of Trials to its foundations, and sent the demons scurrying into the shadows until it was over…

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><p>"No… It cannot end like this…" Helputt was collapsed in the middle of the arena, his chest plate heaving in gulps of air. Chung had held him off long enough for his friends to be revitalized. Now with his will reinforced, Chung met his Father's attacks head on without fear or hesitation. His power was able to match The Berserker's and the constant stream of attacks from his allies wore down the colossus until he was spent. Now, he lay defeated on the floor, crying to the ceiling. "What I… what I have seen… No… NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"<p>

He seemed so pitiful, laying there and screaming at the air. The black color of his armor was finally fading, the demonic influence defeated. But the remnants still clung to his heart it seemed. "This world… is my… destiny…" As he whispered these words, a pale black gauntlet lifted to the decorative stained glass in the ceiling, as if he could snatch the sky with it. "My… destiny…." With that final whimper, the black completely faded from his armor, leaving it a pure a white and his hand dropped to the floor. His chest rose and fell steadily, meaning he was still alive, and the ElGang let out a huge collective sigh.

"Wow, what was up with all that talk? Are the demons really that crazy?" Elsword panted as rubbed his aching neck. Sasha knelt next to the unconscious White Colossus and looked upon him with pity.

"I think, Sir Elsword, that was actually Helputt speaking for himself." The entire group looked at her as though she were crazy, and she brought up a hand to indicate her need to explain. "The demons do not force their will upon you as they possess you. Doing so will make the host less able to perform at peak capacity. Rather, what they do is draw out the basest desires of the heart and magnify them to such proportions that it can actually be channeled for additional power, all while leaving the host in control of their actions. In a way, we just saw this man's true feelings. He was bitter about the blockade, he knew that his city, his home was dying. He was desperate to find a way to save his people, but his station relegated him to a passive stance. He felt helpless because he could not save the people of Hamel from a watery grave. The demons must have preyed on this insecurity and offered him the power to take the land for a new home. But as you can see…" She now looked at the battered Iron Paladin, whose tears were running down his face as he gazed at his fallen father.

"His vision was twisted. Helputt never would have wanted to conquer the world. The demons took his desire to make a new home for his people and magnified its scope. It became make the world a home for his people. Then, a home for The Gladiators and those Gladiators…"

"Were the demons." Raven finished, wincing in pain as Rena dabbed an ointment on a nasty looking bruise on his face.

Sasha nodded. "Yes, he was deceived by demons and was led to believe that only by resurrecting The Gladiators organization and taking what he wanted by force was the only way to save Hamel. He may have thought like that before, but never when I spoke to him before, after the reformation of The Guardians, did he seem to think that force was needed. I am sure he believed in a peaceful resolution, but those old values and desires leave a mark on the heart." She once more looked to Chung who was on the verge of balling. "Your father is a strong man, but even strong men can fall. At that point, it takes a stronger man to bring him into the light again. Be proud of yourself, Sir Chung. Your father is proud of what you have become."

Chung now allowed himself to cry. He fell to his knees and choked on air as he sobbed into the floor. Ara, her golden orbs filled with pity and concern, hobbled over to him and wrapped her arms around the Guardian. While he did not seem to acknowledge her presence, his hand wiggling into hers said otherwise…

* * *

><p><strong>So after I watched this tribute, I then thought about how to make it fit Helputt. So I did a little research into the Freiturnier. Notice how it translates into 'free tournament?' This could suggest a free-for-all brawl, which is far from the noble image of The Guardians of Hamel. Also, at three awakening beads, Chung can access Berserk mode. Wait... Berserk mode? How does a noble knight and berserking fit with each other. Also, in game, during the events of Hamel, you learn that Hamel is indeed being swallowed by the ocean. This, to me, gives Helputt a reason to try and protect it apart from it being his duty. Finally, I wanted to address how I think demon possession works. I already explained it in the story so I do not want to repeat myself. Oh, and 'Sieg oder Tod' is German for 'victory or death.' Anyways, as always, please Read and Review. I know it is easy to just click on the Favorite and Follow buttons, but this is a one-shot, so this is it and nothing else. Let me know what you think of it. Reviews = Inspiration to continue writing. Thank you all! Until next time! <strong>


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